War torn Trout?

smokiebeverage

Caught and released this little lad today.



When I first brought it in I assumed it was injured by a pike but there isn't much of a sign of scaring. Anybody have any idea what may have happened? It went back no problem and had lots of life in the little lad.

Auldloon

smokiebeverage wrote: »

Caught and released this little lad today.



When I first brought it in I assumed it was injured by a pike but there isn't much of a sign of scaring. Anybody have any idea what may have happened? It went back no problem and had lots of life in the little lad.

My guess would be hook damage.

Canonfan

My guess would be gold ring damage.

smokiebeverage

Canonfan wrote: »

My guess would be gold ring damage.

Sure beats brown ring damage!

smokiebeverage

Chuileog wrote: »

My guess would be hook damage.

I don't know the edges are really clean (the photo doesn't really show it well) normally hook damage leaves rough edges. It was just really strange, I've never seen anything like it.

slowburner

smokiebeverage wrote: »

I don't know the edges are really clean (the photo doesn't really show it well) normally hook damage leaves rough edges. It was just really strange, I've never seen anything like it.

+1 for hook damage. The wound doesn't have rough edges because it's not fresh.
Given the state of some of our rivers, it could also be brown ring damage, which wouldn't heal so well :eek:
They're tough little nuts. That wound is the equivalent of you or me having half our chest removed, and having our lungs exposed.

ironbluedun

This is not hook damage, but whatever it is it seems to be coming more common. I caught a trout with both opperculum (gill covers) missing last year and i have seen some pictures of salmon being caught like this as well.
I dont know what causes it but a parasite maybe?

viper123

ironbluedun wrote: »

This is not hook damage, but whatever it is it seems to be coming more common. I caught a trout with both opperculum (gill covers) missing last year and i have seen some pictures of salmon being caught like this as well.
I dont know what causes it but a parasite maybe?

I concur. I caught one trout last year where the gillplate had folded in under the gills - it looked exactly like the one in the picture from the outside, but underneath you could see where the fold had formed over a period of weeks, months, whatever. My money is on bad handling on a previous capture, if you hold a fish with thumb and forefinder over the gill covers it's very easy to push them in under the back of the gill plate and the above picture (althoguh not as dramatic) would be the result.

tin79

There is no way its hook damage IMO. I would go for an infection/ parasitisation in early life or a defect from an early life stage.

It could also be damage from a landing net maybe.

seamusmcspud

I'd definitely go for a parasite, a lice maybe. caught a very healthy 8lb salmon last year with both gils completely exposed and had always wondered if it was a once off 'freak fish'. thanks for the photo and to see it on a trout now is wierd!!!

dodderangler

I caught a few fish like this mostly stocked fish I would say it was caught before and this could happen from trout bein handled incorrectly and dropped to the floor therefore breaking the gill
I've seen it happen and in the past have happened to myself when I just started to fish
Also it may have happened by a treble hook ie spinner
That's just my opinion on it from my experience
Theyre hardy little f***ers that's why theyre great fish

Macspower

there is a tench in my local water without a gill cover on one side.. It doesn't seem to bother her. I've had her on the bank a few times ... other anglers have also reported landing her